Comments: Six Nations: How England 2017 team match up with 2003 World Cup winners

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this post still open?Oh well! funny thing, england beat scotland by 40 points, but scotland didnt turn up?scotland beat wales and ireland 2017 six nationswales several years ago beat england by their record 27 points, thanks to steve walsh and 2 alex cuthbert tries yet the welsh and Fordyce are still talking about it

@413 "tough against good opposition" is exactly how every professional favourite describes their next game! I didn't mention underestimating or any sort of arrogance - I don't accuse England of either. On current form and structure and player by player comparison England are favourites for almost every 6N game, and should act guided by that knowledge. As should you by staying civil.

I don't think I've heard any member of the England team or its staff claim anything other than that the next match would be tough against good opposition, they haven't underestimated anyone. Its the press that have been stirring it up and idiots like you who feed off it from the bottom of the pond.

Not really worth comparing as every one of the 2003 group looks better than the current England team on paper. What comes through with this team though is how young most of these guys are. If they grow together like the 2003 team did over a number of years, they could be very special indeed.

@401 as long as England are the favourites for each game, and carry themselves in the manner of favourites - then they will be pulled up for grandiose celebrations. When you're expected to win, the correct method to carry yourself through a victory is quiet satisfaction in a job well done. Elation and joyful expressionism is reserved for the unexpected. Feel free to turn somersaults on beating NZ

Does JG have an issue posting a Lions XV with more than 2/3 English players? I was looking forward to his selections recognising that English players had played as well as or better than those from the other home nations! but as of now no Lions article as per every other week, just a pointless and unfavourable comparison with a team from 14 years ago.

Brown seems to have been extraordinarily lucky not to have escaped a ban. A (very) late tackle, legs taken above the horizontal, player driven into the ground, fallen on top of with a nice clash of heads for afters.

Anyway, the laugh's on him. All that over-feisty celtic "in ya face pal" cheap-shot stuff lost Scotland game. He should be dropped for being a pr*t!

It does show the current team have a way to go. In the 2003 team 7 of the 8 forwards are at least in the discussion for the finest England player of all time in their position. Picking a combined pack from the two sides is 2003 with Itoje for Kay, in the backs, JJ for Tindall is about it.Hopefully in 5 years that will change, many of the players are young, but for the moment there is a big gap.

I am surprised how well today's team stands up to the 2003 team man-to-man, but it does seem ridiculously early. Let them win a World Cup or beat New Zealand in Wellington before making such comparisons.

On another side note, it's interesting to see that the WRFU are now saying no to Friday night games. Could well mean the end of them. Obviously Paris can cope with them, but I don't think the other stadiums have the infrastructure. Twickenham certainly could not cope with the regular Friday night rush hour traffic & game day crowds. Friday night games are great for TV poor for spectators.

399 &400 stunned to see fraser brown not get banned, its the luck of the ref, the TMO, the siting commissioner and then a panel of numpties...so so inconsistent!

@382 i remember s williams doing one handed somersault on the ball but that wasn't arrogance it was a great try celebration, its only arrogant when someone wears a white shirt and does it ..small minded people from small minded places